• 대한기계학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한기계학회 2008년도 추계학술대회A
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• pp.1377-1380
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• 2008

An irradiation test of a nuclear fuel rod having external and internal tube structure was planned for a performance. To establish fabrication process satisfying the requirements of irradiation test, micro-TIG welding system for fuel rods was developed, and preliminary welding experiments for optimizing process conditions of fuel rod was performed. Fuel rods with 15.9mm diameter and 0.57mm wall thickness of cladding tubes and end caps have been used and optimum conditions of endcap welding have been selected. In this experiment, the qualification test was performed by tensile tests, helium leak inspections, and metallography examinations to qualify the endcap welding procedure. The soundness of the welds quality of a dual cooled fuel rods has been confirmed by mechanical tests and microstructural examinations.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제52권9호
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• pp.2054-2063
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• 2020

The high-temperature oxidation behavior of ZrSi₂ used as a coating material for nuclear fuel cladding was investigated for developing accident-tolerant fuel cladding of light water reactors. Bulk ZrSi₂ samples were prepared by spark plasma sintering. In situ X-ray diffraction was conducted in air at 900, 1000, and 1100 ℃ for 20 h. The microstructures of the samples before and after oxidation were examined by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The results showed that the oxide layer of zirconium silicide exhibited a layer-by-layer structure of crystalline ZrO₂ and amorphous SiO₂, and the high-temperature oxidation resistance was superior to that of Zircaloy-4 owing to the SiO₂ layer formed. ZrSi₂ was coated on the Zircaloy-4 tube surface using laser 3D printing, and the coated tube was oxidized for 2000 s at 1200 ℃ under a vapor/argon mixture atmosphere. The outer surface of the coated tube was hardly oxidized (10-30 ㎛), while the inner surface of the uncoated tube was significantly oxidized to approximately 300 ㎛.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제48권1호
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• pp.16-25
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• 2016

In severe loss of coolant accidents (LOCA), similar to those experienced at Fukushima Daiichi and Three Mile Island Unit 1, the zirconiumalloy fuel claddingmaterials are rapidlyheateddue to nuclear decay heating and rapid exothermic oxidation of zirconium with steam. This heating causes the cladding to rapidly react with steam, lose strength, burst or collapse, and generate large quantities of hydrogen gas. Although maintaining core cooling remains the highest priority in accident management, an accident tolerant fuel (ATF) design may extend coping and recovery time for operators to restore emergency power, and cooling, and achieve safe shutdown. An ATF is required to possess high resistance to steam oxidation to reduce hydrogen generation and sufficient mechanical strength to maintain fuel rod integrity and core coolability. The initiative undertaken by Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) is to demonstrate the feasibility of developing an ATF cladding with capability to maintain its integrity in $1,200-1,500^{\circ}C$ steam for at least 24 hours. This ATF cladding utilizes thin-walled Mo-alloys coated with oxidation-resistant surface layers. The basic design consists of a thin-walled Mo alloy structural tube with a metallurgically bonded, oxidation-resistant outer layer. Two options are being investigated: a commercially available iron, chromium, and aluminum alloy with excellent high temperature oxidation resistance, and a Zr alloy with demonstratedcorrosionresistance.Asthese composite claddings will incorporate either no Zr, or thin Zr outer layers, hydrogen generation under severe LOCA conditions will be greatly reduced. Key technical challenges and uncertainties specific to Moalloy fuel cladding include: economic core design, industrial scale fabricability, radiation embrittlement, and corrosion and oxidation resistance during normal operation, transients, and severe accidents. Progress in each aspect has been made and key results are discussed in this document. In addition to assisting plants in meeting Light Water Reactor (LWR) challenges, accident-tolerant Mo-based cladding technologies are expected to be applicable for use in high-temperature helium and molten salt reactor designs, as well as nonnuclear high temperature applications.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제19권1호
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• pp.22-33
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• 1987

원자력 발전소에 있어서 정상가동 상태나 이상동작시에 핵연료 피복관의 건전성 확보와 연관하여 피복재의 항복거동은 중요한 문제이다. 급격한 출력상승 상황에서 이산화 우라늄 소결체와 피복관 사이의 노내 조사거동의 차이는 소결체와 피복관 사이에 Contact Pressure를 야기 시킨다. 만일 이 Contact Pressure가 Zircaloy 피복관의 Yield Pressure에 도달하면 피복관에는 영구변형이 일어난다. 이 변형은 원자로의 출력이 정상상태로 회복되더라도 존재하므로 소결체와 피복관 사이의 Gap을 증대시킨다. 이러한 상황을 묘사하기 위해 본 논문에서는 구리 Mandrel과 Zircaloy사이의 열팽창 차이를 이용하는 Mandrel 팽창 실험을 실행했다. 실험 결과 측정된 Zircaloy 피복관의 외경 팽창치와 본 논문에서 유도된 수학적 관계식들을 이용하여 온도에 따른 Zircaloy 피복관의 내부항복압력과 항복응력, 피복재의 항복에 따른 핵연료 소결체와 피복관 사이의 Gap 증대를 구하고, 항복 거동에 따른 온도의 영향을 보기 위해 항복과정의 활성화 에너지를 구했다. 본 실험과 분석에서 얻어진 이들 결과들은 다른 실험 결과들과 상당히 일치하였으며, 이것으로 볼 때 본 논문에서 유도된 관계식들과 Mandrel 팽창 실험이 Zircaloy 피복관의 항복거동과 Gap Expansion 측정에 신뢰성이 있음을 알 수 있었다.

• 비파괴검사학회지
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• 제21권6호
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• pp.650-657
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• 2001

본 논문에서는 핵연료 피복재 튜브를 검사하기 위한 차폐된 관통형 원격장와전류 탐촉자의 설계과정을 설명하고, 이 탐촉자에 의한 결함신호의 특성을 조사하였다. 먼저, 자기 에너지가 튜브 내부로 관통될 수 있도록 여자코일 외부를 전기적으로 절연된 얇은 철 박판을 적층시켜 차폐시켰다. 그리고 유한요소 해석을 통하여 차폐의 효과와 탐상 주파수를 연구하였으며, 센서코일의 위치를 결정하였다. 그러나 이렇게 설계된 탐촉자를 사용하여 예측된 결함신호는 센서코일이 결함을 지날 때의 결함지시가 명확하지 않았으며, 여자코일이 결함을 지날 때의 결함지시도 차폐체로부터의 영향이 나타나는 등 여자코일로부터 자속이 직접적으로 센서코일에 영향을 미친다는 사실을 알게 되었다. 따라서 센서코일도 여자코일과 같은 형태로 차폐시켰는데 이 차폐의 효과는 놀라울 정도로 결함신호의 특성을 향상시켰다. 최종적으로 설계된 탐촉자를 사용하여 수치 모델링을 수행한 결과는 관내삽입 원격장와전류 탐촉자를 사용하였을 때의 신호와 매우 흡사한 신호특성을 보였다. 즉, 위상신호는 내부결함과 외부결함에 대하여 거의 동일한 민감도를 보였으며, 위상신호의 세기와 결함의 깊이 사이에 선형적인 관계가 있음이 관찰되었다.

• 한국세라믹학회지
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• 제50권2호
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• pp.122-126
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• 2013

The surface roughness of the inner and outer surfaces of a tube is an important requirement for nuclear fuel cladding. When an inner SiC clad tube, which is considered as an advanced Pressurized Water Cooled Reactor (PWR) clad with a three-layered structure, is fabricated by Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD), the surface roughness of the substrate, graphite, is an important process parameter. The surface character of the graphite substrate could directly affect the roughness of the inner surface of SiC deposits, which is in contact with a substrate. To evaluate the effects of the surface roughness changes of a substrate, SiC deposits were fabricated using different types of graphite substrates prepared by the following four polishing paths and heat-treatment for purification: (1) polishing with #220 abrasive paper (PP) without heat treatment (HT), (2) polishing with #220 PP with HT, (3) #2400 PP without HT, (4) polishing with #2400 PP with HT. The average surface roughnesses (Ra) of each deposited SiC layer are 4.273, 6.599, 3.069, and $6.401{\mu}m$, respectively. In the low pressure SiC CVD process with a graphite substrate, the removal of graphite particles on the graphite surface during the purification and the temperature increasing process for CVD seemed to affect the surface roughness of SiC deposits. For the lower surface roughness of the as-deposited interlayer of SiC on the graphite substrate, the fine controlled processing with the completed removal of rough scratches and cleaning at each polishing and heat treating step was important.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제50권3호
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• pp.416-424
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• 2018

Microstructure of oxide formed on Zr-Nb-Sn tube sample was intensively examined by scanning transmission electron microscopy after exposure to simulated primary water chemistry conditions of various concentrations of Zn (0 or 30 ppb) and dissolved hydrogen ($H_2$) (30 or 50 cc/kg) for various durations without applying desirable heat flux. Microstructural analysis indicated that there was no noticeable change in the microstructure of the oxide corresponding to water chemistry changes within the test duration of 100 days (pretransition stage) and no significant difference in the overall thickness of the oxide layer. Equiaxed grains with nano-size pores along the grain boundaries and microcracks were dominant near the water/oxide interface, regardless of water chemistry conditions. As the metal/oxide interface was approached, the number of pores tended to decrease. However, there was no significant effect of $H_2$ concentration between 30 cc/kg and 50 cc/kg on the corrosion of the oxide after free immersion in water at $360^{\circ}C$. The adsorption of Zn on the cladding surface was observed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and detected as ZnO on the outer oxide surface. From the perspective of $OH^-$ ion diffusion and porosity formation, the absence of noticeable effects was discussed further.